Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, has been sent to home quarantine after his assistant Pradeep Das tested positive for Covid-19 three days back.
Acharya Satyendra Das, said, “As one of my assistants, Pradeep Das, tested Covid positive on July 30, the trust has asked me not to enter Ram temple premises for three days. I will not be performing ‘bhumi pujan’ as other priests have been engaged for that ceremony.”
The Trust members declined to comment on the development.
On Monday, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai has said that every invitation card for the ‘bhoomi pujan’ ceremony has a security code which will not allow re-entry to any invitee.
“The code will allow only one entry and if the person goes out and tries to re-enter, the code will not function. This is being done for security purposes,” he said at a press conference.
Rai said that that 175 persons, mainly sants, had been invited for the event.
“We have also invited Iqbal Ansari, the Babri plaintiff, and Mohd Shafi, who is a Padma Shri awardee. Mohd Shafi was given the award because he has cremated/buried over 10,000 unclaimed dead bodies which is a great service to humanity,” he said.
The trust official explained other security protocols and said that the entire programme on Wednesday would take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests will have to reach the venue two hours ahead of the programme.
–IANS
